This paper examines how video can be used to enhance teacher engagement with ICT as a teaching tool. The Connect School Project, South Dublin County Council’s ubiquitous computing initiative, equipped St. Aidan’s with a vast amount of information and communication technologies (ICT). A review of appropriate literature indicated that the use of such technologies in class could lead to effective teaching and learning environments, increase student self-esteem and could bridge the ‘digital-divide’ that might exist between students in disadvantaged areas and those in more affluent communities. Through two cycles of enquiry, I planned and produced a video which modelled how the laptops and associated hard and software could be used effectively in class. The video aimed to represent all stakeholders in the school: management, teachers and students. In this way a top-down endorsement of the use of ICT as a teaching and learning tool was communicated. I feel that if teachers are to embrace the use of technology in class, pedagogical as well as technical support must be provided. Using video to model effective practice could be an ideal way to provide such support.

It is an excellent report of answering the above question of a practitioner using action research and it should be included in EJOLTs. It has all the aspects of a good research report using living education form of action research. The issue/concern, context, research methodology, knowledge and knowledge claims are described well. The experience of producing the video is fully described. Laura rightly concludes that teachers need technical and pedagogical support to make an effective use of ICT equipment and her video will be a useful aid for less experienced teachers.

The researcher has also reflected on the whole learning experience for its effects on all stakeholders. She mentions learning to live her own values and professional learning from her experienced colleagues. The whole experience generated a collaborative learning experience for the school as a whole. She also makes useful recommendations for future action including making the video accessible to teachers through moodle and the production of videos on subject specific activities. It is a good academic report.

As an educational technologist I would have liked to know the cost of the whole experience and its solid effects on teachers and students to use ICT effectively. Generally ICT is expensive and it fails to provide us solid evidence showing value for money. In my long experience of dealing with this issue I found encouraging teachers to use ICT is a difficult task. Generally experienced teachers make the best use of ICT as a tool to enhance the quality of their lessons and less experienced fail to do so. Essentially Integration of ICT in teaching is a creative experience of pedagogy.

I developed a systematic approach to integrate technology in education and classroom teaching in seventies. My later research showed that teachers generally learnt through examples from their colleagues, not through the creative system I had taught and developed. Thus Laura’s Video should be a useful to less experienced teachers in her school.

We have wealth of experience on the use of technology to improve the quality of education. The Open University in the UK has a long experience of its use. Historically educators began using ICT as a tool for teachers, later they introduced technology in the form of teaching and learning strategies /pedagogies derived from behaviourist theories of learning and finally they learnt to integrate hard and software approaches in producing learning packages. The Open University was the leader in the development of educational technology. Now we have learnt to integrate ICT in all forms of teaching and learning experiences. Laura provides such an example.

This work is a Good example of professionalism in education. Professional educators can design, conduct and evaluate valid learning experiences for all stakeholders. Unlike academics engaged in creating theoretical knowledge, they act and create personal and practical knowledge from their personal experience using action research. Well done Laura.

This is a powerful article dealing with an increasingly important issue – how video can be used to enhance insights into educational processes in a bid to improve them. The presentation of the article is particularly apposite, with its multimedia examples and access. It is cogently argued, persuasive, innovative in its use of data, and always interesting.

Small points:

Keywords after the abstract have semi-colons to separate them;

“Desirable” (p. 4) should read “desired”;

Carr-Chellman abd Dyer (p. 26);

The article should be 1.5 spacing;

Some spacing issues between headings and text throughout need sorting out.

If the above are amended, then my recommendation would be to publish this paper. It’s a very stimulating addition to the literature.

I have uploaded my amended article here. However, with regards to formatting every time I open it the formatting is changes depending on which computer I open it on, where it has been sent from, etc. I have tried my best... but I fear it will be all over the place again when you re-open it.